It was only a year ago. Remember all the hoopla leading up to and following Johnny Manziel's Heisman victory?

Johnny Football had slayed the dragon, becoming the only freshman in the history of college football to nab the sport's most sacred award. It was an honor that some deemed too meaningful for a first-year player, no matter how overwhelming the statistics.

Tonight, just 12 months after Manziel's historic win, the list of freshmen who have hoisted the coveted bronze trophy is all but certain to double as another fresh face has come along and one-upped the Aggies' gunslinger.

Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston is simply the most important player at the most important position on the best team in the country. Combined with numbers that border on laughable, Winston is the prohibitive favorite to have his name called tonight in New York City.

While his season off the gridiron was nothing short of a roller coaster, his season on the field was anything but. A year ago, Manziel raised eyebrows with his flare. This year, Winston did it with perfection and leadership. The freshman piloted the Seminoles to a flawless 13-0 season in which they won their closest game by two touchdowns. Their second closest? A 27-point win over then-No. 7 Miami.

For those who like to follow the ins and outs of the Heisman, though, the question now is: What will the margin look like? Will the Florida State freshman take home the trophy in a landslide of epic proportions or will the race be a little closer, reflecting the fact there are six finalists in New York for the ceremony.

Let's first throw out the idea that this race is going to be close. It won't. The six finalists merely reflect the lack of a consensus challenger to Winston.

Winston may be a shoo-in to win, but the battle for second place is anyone's guess. A record-tying six finalists were invited to New York for the first time since 1994, indicating either that the race for the silver was a tight one or that voters wanted a backup plan in case sexual assault allegations against Winston turned into formal charges.

Let's take a look at what an SI.com panel has to say about Winston's chances tonight:

But what about the rest of the Heisman field? Here is what's being said nationally about each of Winston's challengers heading into tonight's ceremony:

Jordan Lynch, QB, NIU

After Northern Illinois topped rival Ball State on November 13, Huskies head coach Rod Carey pleaded with the national media to give Lynch a shot at the Heisman. Carey's wish was granted, as his quarterback responded to his plea with two straight wins before falling to Bowling Green in the MAC title game.

In this Oct. 12, 2013 file photo, Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch (6) looks to pass against Akron during the first half of an NCAA college football game in DeKalb, Ill. Lynch was one of six Heisman Trophy finalists invited Monday to the ceremony along with overwhelming favorite Jameis Winston of Florida State and last yearÃ¢ÂÂs winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes, File)

Northern Illinois' visit to the Orange Bowl was groundbreaking last year and no one was more responsible for it than Lynch. This year, he fell one win shy of potentially doing it again. So how much will that cost him? Probably not much, if his stats have anything to say about it.

The dual-threat quarterback is the fifth player in NCAA history with 20 rushing and 20 passing touchdowns in a single season and that is only the half of it. Lynch set the single-game rushing record for a quarterback this year and then broke his own record when he hung 321 yards on Western Michigan. His season total of 1,881 rushing yards is also an all-time record for a quarterback.

Arguably no player has been more responsible for his team's success than Lynch, who took the program to unprecedented heights last year, leading NIU to the MAC's first BCS bid and finishing seventh in the Heisman voting.

Andre Williams, RB, Boston College

It's interesting to consider the acclaim that Lynch garners for providing such a big chunk of his team's offense when he is joined on this list by Boston College's Andre Williams. Williams was the nation's leading rusher at 175 yards per game, finishing as the first back to crack 2,000 yards since Connecticut's Donald Brown did it in 2008.

In this Oct. 12, 2013 file photo, Boston College running back Andre Williams (44) rushes out of the tackle-attempt by Clemson's Scott Shuey during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Clemson, S.C. Williams is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. (AP Photo/ Richard Shiro, File)

The Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's best running back, Williams accounted for 47.5 percent of the Eagles' entire offense, a number undoubtedly lower than Lynch's percentage but equally as jarring since Williams didn't start each play with the ball in his hands. Williams is a load at more than 225 pounds, and the senior came out of nowhere to put the Eagles on his back.

While watching big backs grind out yardage can sometimes prove mundane, Williams keeps it entertaining with an array of stiff arms and bulldozing runs that make you think you're watching a video game. He might be the least sexy name on this list, but that doesn't mean he's undeserving.

Only four Heisman winners - Barry Sanders, Marcus Allen, Mike Rozier and Ricky Williams - have had a better statistical season than the one Williams will finish in the Advocare V100 Bowl in Shreveport, LA., against Arizona on New Year's Eve.

"He completed the ninth-best rushing season in the history of college football," says BC coach Steve Addazio.

Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

Manziel might just be the best overall player in college football. By traditional quarterbacking standards, the sophomore improved upon the gaudy numbers from his historic freshman campaign. His completion rate soared to 69.1 percent in 2013, and his touchdown passes jumped from 26 to 33.

Yes, his rushing totals were down significantly, but that doesn't mean he wasn't just as deadly as he was a year ago. Manziel made the conscious decision to hang in the pocket longer this year and his ability to cut up defenses through the air improved accordingly. Can you really fault the guy for trying to become a better quarterback?

Where you can fault Manziel is his timing. A month ago, the Aggies' signal caller had the opportunity to leapfrog Winston as he approached consecutive road games at LSU and Missouri. Had Johnny Football reeled off a pair of wins, A&M would be in a BCS game and Manziel might be on the verge of becoming only the second guy ever to win the Heisman twice.

From a subjective standpoint, I enjoyed Johnny Manziel's 2013 performance more than I enjoyed Jameis Winston's 2013 performance. Hell, I enjoyed it more than any performance by any college football quarterback I have ever watched, even if the ending fizzled. It was messy, and it was pretentious, and it was overly ambitious, and it was still the most imaginative artistic display I have ever witnessed on a football field.

Watch a relaxed Manziel tell us why he is pressure-free at this year's ceremony:

AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama

McCarron took home the Maxwell Award this week for collegiate player of the year, but it's hard not to think that it was almost akin to a consolation lifetime achievement award. The Bama quarterback has had one of the great careers in college football history, winning two national titles and being well on his way to a third before being dethroned by Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

In this Nov. 23, 2012 file photo, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron (10) watches from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Chattanooga, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. McCarron made a pact with himself: He wouldn't go to New York before he's able to pay his own way unless it's for the Heisman Trophy ceremony or the NFL draft. He's headed there this weekend as a Heisman finalist. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

He's been the face of a dynasty and he has the model girlfriend to prove it, but McCarron still falls shorts where it counts most. Outside of Katherine Webb, McCarron lacks the flash that has been synonymous with so many of the guys who have taken home this award in the past.

"Maybe, whether it's off the field stuff with Jameis Winston or other things like what happened with Johnny Manziel last year as a freshman and he's got some more years to come -- let's give it to the guy who hasn't only performed at a level but he's done it consistently throughout his college career, won two national championships and almost a third."

Tre Mason, RB, Auburn

Mason's season closely mimicked that of his team. The junior tailback from Auburn started the year as part of a backfield committee and continued to build steam until he eventually exploded, first against Alabama and then in the SEC championship game, where he racked up 304 yards and four touchdowns against Missouri.

In this Dec. 7, 2013, file photo, Auburn running back Tre Mason (21) strikes a Heisman pose as he celebrates a touchdown against Missouri during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game in Atlanta. Mason is one of six finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which will be presented on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

His late-season heroics catapulted him right into the thick of the race and made the junior this field's true dark horse. While it took the nation a while to notice him, Mason's statistics are jarring in retrospect.

And why shouldn't it [go viral]? If all it takes is a "Heisman moment" like the one Johnny Manziel had against Alabama last year, what does that say for Tre? He has had arguably two such performances in the past two weeks, first rushing for 164 yards and a touchdown in a narrow win over then-No. 1-ranked Bama before doing all he did against a Missouri defense that many considered among the best in the country.

Miracles have become commonplace for Auburn this year, so if anyone can upset Winston, my money is on Mason.

Watch the Auburn running back convey his excitement about the upcoming days and month: